Dawei in Tanintharyi Division received 44.7 centimetres (17.6 inches) of rain on July 4, the highest amount in a single day in the month of July in the past 55 years. The previous record during this period was 30.5cm on July 3, 1985.

STATE-OWNED Myanma Economic Bank (MEB) is expanding remittance services to more branches throughout the country this year, said a senior official from the Ministry of Finance and Revenue.

The first bus line runs between the town of Indine, north of Yangon and Thakhinmya Park in Ahlone township, a distance of 62 kilometres (38 miles), while the second travels between Aungmingalar Highway Bus Terminal and Dagon Seikkan township about 50km away.

He got his chance with a two-day exhibit of 45 of his photographs from June 24 to 25, but he said he saw the show as a practice run for a bigger exhibit he plans for November.

“Computer monitors especially are in short supply, but we think the situation is temporary and will be back to normal by the end of the month,” one computer parts retailer told The Myanmar Times last week.

“We are promoting Chaungtha Beach not only as individual hotels but as part of the Chaungtha Zone Association to show unity and team spirit,” said U Win Oo Tan, hotel manager at Hotel Max (Chaungtha).

A WORKSHOP to promote the participation of small- and medium-sized enter-prises in the potato trade in the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) and Bangla-desh was held July 5 to 6 in Taunggyi in Shan State.

THE Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries last month began selling mobile phones at reduced rates to poultry farmers in areas of Sagaing and Mandalay divisions affected by bird flu outbreaks earlier in the year, said an official from the Livestock Breeding and Veterinary Department.

“Until I learned about the internet, the only aim I had in my life was to open a sewing shop after graduation,” said Ma Lei Lei Lwin, a 23-year-old university student, speaking through an interpreter using sign language.

“This is the second time the department has succeeded in breeding these salamanders,” said U Saing Kyaw Myint, the administrator of the garden, which is run by the department.

A PROJECT to improve Yangon’s water supply network that began in April last year is due to be completed by the end of 2007, a senior official at the Yangon City Development Committee said.

NINE more special police units to investigate human trafficking cases will be set up in seven states and divisions later this year, doubling the total number of such units in Myanmar, said an official from the Ministry of Home Affairs.

THE Yangon Division Electricity Supply Board on July 5 called on business leaders to set up new power supply stations in each of Yangon’s industrial zones by next month at their own expense, said U Myat Thin Aung, president of the Myanmar Industrial Association (MIA).

Many of Yangon’s wealthier residents are putting faith in barbed wire to protect the savings and possessions stashed in their expensive villas. Dealers say demand for the latest imported razor wire has spiked sharply in the past three years.

“It is quite dangerous because even though some pets with rabies don’t show any symptoms, they can still pass it to humans,” she said.

“MP3 players have been available here for three years now and their popularity has continued to grow,” said Ko Maung Maung Aung, a salesman from Wai Yan electronics, citing annual sales increases of about 30 percent.

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